


A Marriage of Convenience

by Eturni



Category: Gundam Wing
Genre: (one punch), 1x3 - Freeform, 1x5, Fake Marriage, Heavy Petting, Human Trafficking Mention, Light Angst, M/M, Mild Language, Minor Violence, Post-War, eventual 1x3x5
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-30
Updated: 2019-06-30
Packaged: 2020-05-31 05:37:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 15,363
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19419556
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eturni/pseuds/Eturni
Summary: This was done for the Rarepair Big Bang back in 2016 or something but I haven't really been using AO3.Trowa needs to move to the Earth Sphere to get away from some trouble. Heero offers to help with him getting citizenship by marrying him. He might be with Wufei but the other doesn't want to ever think about marriage again. So how much could he care, right?Unsurprisingly he cares a lot. Who would have thought.





	A Marriage of Convenience

“No, Yuy” Wufei’s eyes flashed with anger as he glowered over to his partner.

This was something that Heero usually knew to avoid. After the Mariemaia incident the other pilot had worked with his usual single-mindedness to control the anger that had raged inside of him and fuelled him during the war. He had expected cold detachment, a debate. He’d had no idea that he’d be stood facing the fiery Shenlong pilot again.

“Wufei, it won’t be forever, it’s just in the short term.” He tried softly, hoping a lower voice would calm the other.

“No, Yuy.” As if in defiance he thought the other got a little louder if anything.

“Will you at least listen to me?” Heero shot back, trying to keep his voice calm but feeling the edge at his words.

“Yuy, why would I listen to something so idiotic? This is not happening!” Wufei moved towards the kitchen as if to dismiss the entire argument, mouth a thin line of anger.

“Heero.” Heero’s voice was low, almost detached. Colder than it had been in a long time. It caused Wufei to at least look back. “I’m Heero unless you don’t care for me any longer. And if you don’t you have no right to expect any say in my choice.” He warned, though he wondered if he really could go so far as to cut ties with the other over this one request.

It at least got Wufei’s attention and his eyes flickered to where Wufei’s hand was curling into a fist at his side, wondering if the other was trying to suppress his anger or merely channel it.

“I won’t change my decision on this _Heero_.” He emphasised with obvious irritation, though some of the blind rage was now gone. “You are not going to marry Barton.” He added firmly, still not turning to face Heero again.

“Why not? You’re not going to marry me and Trowa requires a legitimate method of entry to the earth sphere that doesn’t require eighteen months of background checks and interviews.” He pointed out, feeling like the request, while odd, was fairly reasonable. Trowa had made a compelling argument in his email, though Wufei seemed to feel otherwise if the red creeping at the tips of his ears was any indication.

“The fact that I don’t wish to marry does _not_ leave you free to participate in a sham marriage, Yuy. Made all the worse,” he caught the look and choked down on a frustrated scream “ _Heero_ , made _worse_ given that I am a fucking Preventers agent and I will not turn a blind eye while you assist in the illegal trafficking of an ex-terrorist into the earth sphere.” He had turned back by now and was advancing on Heero steadily, almost fully in the other’s face.

Heero held his hands up chest height in a show of both defence and peace. He’d perhaps gone a little far mentioning Wufei’s own aversions to marriage.

“Look, it would be short term. He’s only expected to be married for three years.” He thought he saw a vein throb in Wufei’s temple and quickly switched tack. “He can stay in the spare room. He already has plans for a business and will live a completely separate life other than remaining in the same house. Once he’s a citizen he can leave and live elsewhere. We know him, you know you can trust-”

“I know nothing of the sort. He works for himself and he always has.” Wufei bit back, anger rising and ebbing in him now so quickly that a headache was beginning to form in his temples.

“We all worked alone at first, Wufei. He’s my friend, and I trust him.” Heero tried for soft again, not certain which way to go to best persuade the other. He really did want to help Trowa and didn’t want to have to mention to Wufei the particular series of unfortunate events that had led to his abrupt leave of absence from the circus.

Wufei rolled his eyes and looked like he was trying to choke something down,  jaw set hard . It took him a good few moments to speak and Heero spent the time wandering whether it would be okay to reach out and put a  hand on his boyfriend’ s arm . But Wufei’s mouth opened and the moment passed by, leaving Heero’s hands to clench helplessly where he had his arms folded over his chest.

“It’s not about my trust of him. It’s the law, it’s regulations for entering the earth sphere. You expect me to turn up to work every day ignoring the fact that I’m harbouring someone who’s entered the sphere under false pretences?” He pressed. He couldn’t understand how Heero would fail to see that he couldn’t just let go of his morals so easily.

“It feels fair because we settled here without needing to wait that long. Our circumstances are entirely the same but Trowa just decided to try and stay in the colonies a little longer. He wants to live and work here. That’s all we do, it doesn’t mean he has plans to begin another attack.” He pointed out. Though, on reflection, it would be a good way to infiltrate given that they couldn’t transfer into schools for residency the way that they had in the war and there was a distinct shortage of mercenary groups these days that could move freely through security.

“If he just wanted to live and work here” Wufei’s voice took on a hint of condescension, lilting as though he were explaining a simple concept to a child “then he would be happy to go through the same process as everyone else. The fact that he expects you to marry him to get him here sooner proves that there’s some sort of ulterior motive.”

Heero felt his head throb and swore it had made his eye twitch. At least it seemed like he was back with rational Wufei but that just meant that this could quickly devolve into a battle of semantics and technicalities that would last over days. Days that his friend would be left hovering in limbo wondering where the sword would drop.

Heero felt the clenching in his stomach and knew that he had to do something to convince Wufei quickly. “Of course there’s a motive behind the urgency but it has nothing to do with criminal intent.” He shot back. “I’ve… I have been made to understand the parameters around his request and I feel that it’s reasonable. I just don’t know that it’s something I should be sharing with you given that it’s his personal business.”

Wufei arched an eyebrow at this and leaned forward, just far enough to be a hair inside of Heero’s personal space boundary. Enough to make him slightly uncomfortable in an argument situation, on edge. “His personal business? He’s asking to marry _my_ boyfriend and move into _our_ apartment all in contravention of the laws that I help to enforce. And the reasoning behind it isn’t my business?” He prompted expectantly in that voice that made Heero feel as though he knew what it would like to be on one of Trowa’s high wires.

“Wufei it’s to get into the Earth sphere, there’s no intention of having an actual relationship here.” Heero grunted in exasperation at his partner’s sudden possessiveness of him.

“I don’t doubt that he’s got no love for you. Barton has always been an expert at manipulating himself into groups to cover himself.” Wufei pointed out sorely.

“He is not manipulating me. He asked me outright.” Heero attempted calm but found defensiveness creeping into his voice at the thought that Wufei would doubt his judgement.

“And how long has he been planning this? He’s certainly kept close to you as long as you could be useful in the future.” Wufei bit back. Heero was too attached to the other pilots, or indeed anyone who continued to show him kindness after the war rather than the fear or hero-worship that had permeated the time immediately following the Eve wars.

“Most of us remain in contact. You’re the one who decided that working in the Preventers with the remaining war criminals meant that you should distance yourself from the rest of us.” Heero’s face went from annoyance to apology in a heartbeat, shoulders dropping into a non-threatening stance even as Wufei’s face went very carefully blank, leaning back to a moderate distance.

“We’re attempting to continue to form the change we need in the world rather than running from responsibility.” His voice was soft and Heero did his best to remain neutral, fighting the urge to square his shoulders again.

Heero nodded slowly in agreement. It was the same reason that he had joined despite wishing that he would never have to kill again. But it wasn’t a stance that he expected any of the others to have to take.

“We were child soldiers. They’ve taken enough responsibility for the colonies.” He added, regardless of his agreeing nod.

Wufei huffed a small breath through his nose. “Regardless of any of that he’s not at liberty to break the law and use our home to do it in. I’d be compelled to report it to Commander Une knowing that he’s here under false pretences.”

“It’s hardly a matter for the Preventers. Immigration at best and he is wanting to come here as a civilian away from issues that there currently are.”  
  
“Issues you refuse to discuss with me.” Wufei glowered and Heero could feel the conversation turning circular again and frowned deeply.

“But issues that I’m aware of and considered the validity of. I’m aware of Trowa’s speciality in infiltration and I’m confident that he deserves to be able to begin again after what we accomplished during the war. He _is_ being honest.” He countered.

“I’ll believe that when he proves it.” Wufei muttered in a low voice.

Heero’s eyes narrowed, adrenaline picking up his breath as he spotted his opportunity. Debates with Wufei were far too similar to actual battles and tended to be more engaging than some of the active Preventer missions that Heero was part of.

“He can only prove it if he’s allowed to by being here. He’ll be close enough for you to monitor.” Heero tried not to smile, worried that appearing too pleased with his argument would lead Wufei to be contrary just for the sake of it.

Wufei watched Heero carefully, jaw setting hard as he considered his next argument. The only one left to him, however, was the one that he had no intention of getting into. “You’re going to do this whether or not you have my support, aren’t you?” He accused, teeth clenched as he looked into the kitchen over Heero’s shoulder.

“I...” Heero sighed and stepped forward, reaching out to press a hand to Wufei’s arm. “This is your home. You’re the one I… care about most. I would never go ahead with this without your agreement but I want to be able to convince you that it’s the right thing to do. We were never close in the war but” Heero sighed, still finding it hard to put the emotions that guided him into the proper words “you’re the ones who understand a little and I want to try to have some sort of friendship.” His hands were stock still at his sides as he held himself carefully.

Wufei grudgingly allowed the touch and switched his focus back to Heero, looking steadily into the other’s eyes for just long enough for Heero to want to begin fidgeting. “Fine. But I will be monitoring him and if there is even the slightest hint that he intends any other illegal activity there won’t be anywhere that he can hide from me.” He swore.

Heero managed a small smile at this and bowed his head a little. “I wouldn’t expect any less of you but thank you.” He managed honestly, leaning in to brush his lips against Wufei’s.

The other pilot only pulled away with a shake of his head. “Not now Heero, I’m going out into the garden.” He shook his head, gently picking up Heero’s hand to remove it from his arm and gave it a squeeze before letting it drop back to the other’s side.

Heero frowned but relinquished to Wufei’s need to be alone and instead turned and went back upstairs to where he’d left his laptop open; making sure Trowa’s request was fresh in his mind before daring to face the dragon.

He opened up a reply and considered the best way to word his response so that it would convey a warning about the response he might receive upon getting here whilst confirming that Wufei had relinquished.

_Trowa,_

_After a long discussion Wufei has consented to give me away though I don’t believe he’s entirely comfortable as he’s not a direct relation. Let me know when visits will need to happen for the immigration checks and I’ll be right by your side. I can’t wait to see you._

_Heero_

He sent the email with a satisfied nod. It sounded wedding-y as far as he was concerned.  Amorous, even with the little addendum on the end. Perfectly reasonable for someone planning their marriage. 

It made him smile to think of it. It was an excellent chance to begin to get to know Trowa better, as they had already been doing little by little as their friendship grew. He would have another friend close by, someone who didn’t balk at him in hallways or feel intimidated by him as he passed in the street. Someone else who understood the cloying nightmares and the hard to break war habits. It would be a relief.

O ver the next few months  Wufei’s mood darkened considerably as Heero spent more time after work discussing his background with Trowa, sat in the living room with his laptop out and sharing so much more than he ever had with Wufei.

The fact that he himself had never asked, the fact that  they were reading from a set of predetermined likely questions, somehow didn’t make this easier for Wufei. He was learning more about Heero than he had in the almost two years that they had been together and it was happening while he graced another person with that faint smile.

It was a special kind of torture for Wufei to sit in the room with this going on around him.

He pretended to read but these were all things that he wanted to know despite the trauma that was woven through their childhoods. He sat with eyes glued to the pages, barely moving as his ears strained for each word. He knew that Heero was being truthful with Trowa and the fact that he was so comfortable with sharing it was painful; a dull ache through his chest right to the pit of his stomach.

It was something that he wanted to know too much to leave while it was being discussed, though. The thought that Trowa would know something that he didn’t was intolerable. So he sat and seethed and watched someone else getting to know the intimacies of his boyfriend whilst planning a wedding that brought him to a cold sweat at the same time as he was as tense as a cornered animal.

When the day finally came that Trowa landed on Earth they went to pick him up at the shuttle port, fiancé green card and all. Wufei was so agitated that Heero found himself with second thoughts about going through with things. He gently took Wufei’s hand in his as they walked through the terminal only to have it shrugged off brusquely with a tense reminder that he was here to pick up his _groom_.

Heero felt the word delivered like a physical blow from Wufei’s mouth but refused to give any reaction other than a curt nod of agreement. “We’re still close, you’re my best man. That type of contact is more common these days.” He pointed out.

Wufei frowned, wondering if he had been looking up appropriate affection levels for a husband or something as ridiculous. He hadn’t been present for the searching if so but there was a lot he hadn’t been party to recently and they had been drifting a little.

“Just leave it.” He shook his head and picked up his pace, long determined strides leaving Heero to catch up.

Heero did just that, dropping the matter and falling into the uncomfortable silence that had been permeating their time together recently.

When people finally started arriving Heero’s alert level peaked, pupils widening a little as if to catalogue the faces for potential threats. It had Wufei squaring his shoulders, stance shifting as he too scanned the dribbling flow of people passing through. His mind immediately went to monitoring for likely threats and terrorists. He only reminded himself which terrorist they were here to collect when he came through the doors. And he was likely to come in without much of a fight.

Trowa had surprisingly not particularly grown into his height in the last two years. If anything he looked a little underfed, eyes shadowed from either a lack of sleep or defensiveness. If he was a little more haggard he had definitely transitioned from child soldier to man since Wufei last saw him and what little softness had been in him had all become hard edges.

He turned when the slight tensing in Heero’s shoulders told Wufei that the Japanese boy had spotted him and his stomach dropped out when his eyes found Heero positively joyful at the reunion. Any outsider would probably see a genuine but fairly normal smile but for Heero, even this far from the wars, it was a sight that was rarely directed at anyone but Wufei.

Wufei stepped back a little, expression guarded as Heero caught Trowa’s eye and motioned him over with a slight cock of his head. When they met up Trowa wrapped his arms around Heero as if it was the most natural thing to do and Wufei’s eyes narrowed as he watched Heero tense up again minutely before returning the hug, arms around Trowa’s too-thin waist. This was obviously something that they’d discussed. Something appropriate to being a couple. It was a role that Trowa played all too well, just as he had in his undercover missions throughout the war.

He did his best not to scowl when Trowa murmured something into Heero’s ear but he could feel his jaw clenching regardless. Heero stepped back and nodded solemnly before taking Trowa’s hand in his and grabbing the other’s bag as though the walk from the plane to the terminal could have been so difficult. Wufei noticed their fingers lacing intimately and his jaw tightened again. He wondered if he was going to end up with a chronic migraine before the end of this.

As they came towards him Trowa bowed his head deeply to Wufei, his face carefully neutral as he greeted him. “Thank you for letting me stay with you.” He said simply, concerned that too much stimulation right now even in the form of a simple smile or too much talking could slip Wufei from the leash around his anger.

The scowl Trowa got in return was enough to tell him that he was doing little to improve the other’s disposition towards him. He carefully ignored it as he let Heero lead him from the terminal, squeezing his friend’s hand as they passed by the CCTV in the entrance. It was hard to say if it was well planned or natural. Not for the first time Wufei hated all three of them, himself included, for deciding that this was okay.

Wufei made damn certain that Heero rode shotgun when they got to the car, taking Trowa’s bag from his partner’s hands a little more forcefully than was necessary as he admonished him to take time in the back to rest from the flight.

The car ride back was uneventful though slightly more tense now that Trowa was there too. The L3 native seemed to have taken his suggestion to heart and spent the entire drive back with his chin on his chest, eyes closed. He seemed to be asleep but Wufei trusted that about as much as he trusted any of Trowa’s personas. What lay underneath it all remained a mystery to Wufei and he knew that the other only ever showed what he wanted to. That and it was still impossible for either of them to sleep in public, no matter how intense a mission, and even a shuttle flight was almost nothing in comparison to that. There was no chance in any of the hells that Trowa was comfortable enough in a strange car, back on planet with two men he had barely spent time with outside of the war to actually fall asleep.

Which only meant that the tense silence that stretched between the two of them was being witnessed by someone making a fairly impressive attempt to look asleep.

When they got back to the house Wufei considered passing the keys off to Heero to help get his groom-to-be settled so that he could go meditate and try to distance himself from the sickening display that the two were bound to be around each other as they settled into their roles.

Instead he clenched the keys tightly and got Trowa’s bag out of the boot, passing it to him cordially. He was unhappy with this because of the illegal nature of trafficking a terrorist to Earth, not because of any other reason. He trusted Heero implicitly. This was nothing to do with their closeness. A statement that would be easier to believe if he wasn’t repeating it to himself as he led the way inside.

Thankfully, Heero took on the task of taking care of showing Trowa the basics of their small, strategically defensible home. He watched the smile on his partner’s face carefully as Heero took Trowa upstairs towards the spare bedroom, his low tenor amused as Wufei thought he heard his name crop up.

He let out a slow exhale of air and turned to the kitchen. Keeping himself occupied would be the best idea for the next couple of days. I was barely a week until he’d be expected to ‘give Heero away’ at their wedding and at this point denial and keeping busy felt like the best of several bad options.

There was almost a moment of relief when he finished cooking and the other two came down looking entirely the same as they had when they’d gone up. Trowa, perhaps, looked like he’d made himself a little more presentable which had Wufei slightly on edge about him having half-stripped in front of Heero but he decided that he didn’t really have the room to care too much about that. They’d all seen much more of each other than bare chests during the war and if anything Trowa looked like he had less to show off these days. Not that there was anything to show off before. Or anything the other made a habit of showing off. Or any reason to follow along that line of thought.

The circle of his unwelcome thoughts was thankfully cut off when Heero offered him a tentative smile. His eyes were almost soft as he used them to nudge his boyfriend into moving to eat. Wufei sighed as he obediently started, offering a brief smile in return.

He honestly knew how Heero cared for him and it was shameful to have thoughts like this in his head. He just found it so difficult for there to be an openness in Heero and Trowa’s fake relationship that they had struggled to achieve in theirs. Wufei knew that a good portion of the blame with that lay with his own misgivings about relationships and especially public declarations of affection but it didn’t make it any easier to watch the two be so close with each other.

Despite Heero’s awkward attempts to encourage him into the conversation at the table Wufei remained mulling over his own thoughts, only offering occasional monosyllabic responses when he absolutely had to participate.

It took a few moments of silence for him to realise that the conversation had stalled. Wufei looked up from where he’d been staring absently at his plate to find Heero looking at him expectantly and Trowa with something his eyes that looked suspiciously like mirth.

“What?” He glowered, immediately on the defensive.

Heero broke into a smile that he seemed to be trying desperately to hold back. “Trowa thinks that I’ve had a bad influence on you. You’re starting to talk like me.” He explained.

Wufei let out a huff of air through his nose and did his best to level a disapproving look at the both of them, which only appeared to make Heero all the more pleased. Wufei found his chest warming at how stupidly smug Heero was just to have changed him a little. That was a natural part of spending a lot of time with another human being.

“I’m just attempting to let you both reconnect since you only have until Wednesday for your final interview. I refuse to be any part of this but I can give you the time to make sure your charade works.” He pointed out coolly.

Trowa nodded slowly in response with a little “Ah” of recognition. That explained Heero’s coded responses about how Wufei was doing. This could make the situation a lot more difficult to navigate but Trowa was used to manoeuvring in more hostile situations than this and he’d just need to make sure that he stayed the minimum amount of time to successfully achieve his goal and get out of there as quickly as possible.

He got up and grabbed the plates, indicating through to the living room with a tilt of his head. “We’ve made all of the necessary preparations for the mission” he managed a wan smile despite Wufei’s deepening frown “and now all we have to do is act as a convincing couple in an interview. It won’t be so difficult that we need to practice any more. You two should spend your time together.” He nudged, giving Heero a less than subtle encouraging look.

Wufei was about to refuse when Heero nodded firmly and got up, taking Wufei’s hand and encouraging him to his feet too. “We’re doing enough for him, he can take on some household chores.” That smug smile was back again and Wufei rolled his eyes but finally relented and let Heero take him through to the living room.

His partner immediately went to fetch Heero’s laptop for him, coming back with that and a book. Without a word they settled themselves into what had, prior to study time with Trowa, been their nightly routine of comfortable silence with each of them doing their own thing.

Trowa came into the room minutes later to find Wufei reclined comfortably against Heero’s chest, curled up with his book as the other completely ignored the imposition of not having the use of one of his arms and typed at still impressive speeds with the one hand.

He smiled faintly to himself despite the slight pang of his own position as outsider in the situation and headed upstairs with an offhand remark about going to unpack.

“Okay, just make yourself comfortable.” Heero’s eyes followed Trowa upstairs as if to check that he got there okay despite it literally being just upstairs. Wufei leaned up from where he was resting on his partner’s chest and placed a gentle but insistent hand on his cheek, guiding Heero’s face down to him for a kiss.

“He’ll be fine Heero, pretending to be someone he isn’t is Barton’s speciality. He’ll have his feet under the table before the end of the week.” Wufei tried not to sound too sore about it, attempting matter-of-fact since reassuring wasn’t something he could stretch to at this point in time. Heero’s glare told him that he wasn’t successful.

“We were all in the same position in the wars, Wufei. You still utilise the skills that kept us alive in that time when it suits you.” He pointed out in annoyance.

“I use them within the realms of the law now, Heero. You know how I feel about this. We’ve had this discussion and I’m not going to suddenly change my feelings on it. I’m accepting your game, I’m not happy about it.” He glowered up to his partner, shifting a little in his lap so that he could face Heero better.

Heero sighed deeply in response and tried for a little smile, hoping it would calm Wufei down a little. “Alright, I know and I’m sorry for pushing” he places his hand over the one holding his book and leans in to kiss Wufei’s forehead “it’s just that I know he deserves the second chance that we got here.” He took a breath in and paused, wanting to go on, but they’d had this debate enough times since that first argument and it would only be a matter of them repeating the same points over again.

Wufei’s raised eyebrow let Heero know that he was thinking the same thing and expectantly waiting another round of their circular arguments with his own response ready on his tongue.

Instead, Heero’s minute smile raised into something akin to a smirk. That split second was the only warning Wufei had that things were not going to go the way that he expected before Heero’s mouth descended on him again.

It surprised a grunt out of Wufei that had him frowning into the kiss. He didn’t like to be caught off guard and it only made him more annoyed when he felt Heero’s lips pull up further, feeling that the other was enjoying having the upper hand a little too much.

Wufei pressed back into the kiss, though Heero’s smugness didn’t seem to fade even when he gripped the front of the L1 native’s shirt in his fist. He knew that Heero was enjoying getting a rise out of him and somehow it didn’t stop him falling for it. He waited until the soft press of his partner’s lips appeared to have lost some of it’s smirk as a sign that his guard was starting to come down. He shifted and bit at Heero’s lower lip, satisfied by the surprised grunt he got in return from the other.

Wufei smiled to himself as one of Heero’s hands finally left the laptop and settled on his hip, the warmth pressed against him strong and familiar. He let out a sigh against Heero’s lips and licked at them, feeling the rumble of a groan rising through the other.

“You’ll never outdo me, Heero.” He smiled as he pulled back from the other, enjoying the smile that was left on his face.

“But you’ll always be working to keep up.” Wufei felt a low rumble in his throat at the retort, taking in a deep breath through his nose. In a flash he was back in Heero’s face, kissing him fiercely in his best attempt to make sure he wouldn’t be able to breathe once he was through.

He felt eyes on them and his hand clenched around Heero’s shirt again, tongue insistently pressing at his lips and other hand coming up to press at Heero’s chest. A prickle of heat travelled over him as he coaxed another low groan out of Heero and he felt it settling low in his belly. Possessiveness and smug pride swelled in equal amounts as he willed Trowa, if he was still there, to get the message and fuck off. Heero was his and this arrangement was temporary.

Wufei woke with a sense of calm that he hadn’t had in some time. It was some time before the alarm and he rolled over to rest an arm over Heero’s bare chest. There was something satisfying in the fact that Heero barely stirred from the contact. His usual hair trigger seemed to let itself be quieted with proximity to him.

For a few moments as he watched the other he wondered what had been concerning him so much the whole time that their plan had been building. Trowa was here and Heero was still in his arms with no sign of anything changing between them.

The slightly more tranquil feeling that he’d managed to attain lasted just up to breakfast.

When Trowa finally came down and joined the two of them at the table Heero looked up with another one of those faint smiles that got Wufei on edge and he found himself sitting just a little bit closer to the other.

“Are you going to be okay getting used to the city whilst we’re at work today?” There was a moment of stillness in the room that felt a little tense and Wufei’s feeling of suspicion about the situation reared up again.

“Actually Wufei, I’ve arranged for the next week off in order to finish arrangements here and so that we can attend the meetings that are needed for immigration authorities. We did discuss this.” He said softly, careful of any repercussions that might come of it.

Trowa looked between the two of them with a carefully neutral face and appeared to be considering leaving the room as Wufei stood slowly from the table.

“I can leave you to discuss this.” He offered, voice just as balanced and even.

Wufei shook his head, knuckles going white as he gripped the table. “No, I need to get ready for work and it seems that you two have a lot of work to do for the wedding. I’ll leave you to plan.” His own voice was detached. The closest to calm that he could manage. He placed a reassuring hand on Heero’s shoulder and squeezed before leaving the room.

“Wufei, we should talk about this.” Heero’s voice followed him from the room.

“Yes, later on tonight. I have work to do.” He responded without turning around, heading upstairs and doing his best to ignore the feeling that the two were probably discussing him behind his back.

As such he wasn’t surprised when he came back downstairs and conversation stalled for a moment. He looked at the two huddled together on one side of the, admittedly small, table. Very much the perfect couple. The pain that lanced into his gut left him breathless and immobile for a second.

“I’ll see you both later tonight” he gulped down the mix of emotions that was swirling in his throat and making him feel choked “and we’ll talk about it properly. Have a good day.” He offered.

The looks he got in return were too similar. Both of them obviously seeing more than the calm he was trying to project. Those emotions jumped up to the base of his throat again and he turned to grab his keys in case they erupted from him.

Arms grabbed him from behind and his elbow jabbed back into Heero’s stomach before he managed to register that this wasn’t an attack. Despite that not even a huff of pain escaped the lips at his ear and Wufei absently wondered if he really looked so wound up that Heero had prepared himself for this kind of knee-jerk reaction.

“As long as you come home to me tonight I’ll be happy. Even if you want to just spend the entire night screaming at me.” Wufei shivered as the heat of Heero’s breath ghosted past his ear.

The words were as close to sentimental as he was likely to manage on his own and Wufei couldn’t help but let out a deep sigh that expelled some of the pain that had been building in him. “I’ve no intention of wasting our time that way Heero. I just forgot about how much… I forgot you ever said you were taking leave for this.” He felt the words eluding him, too tough to really think too closely about. “Perhaps I need to take some annual leave for your wedding.” He managed to not throw up around the word despite how huge it felt in his mouth and how much it pushed at the bile in his stomach still.

Heero nodded “Be safe today. And don’t take all of this out on the other preventers. They’re a lot more breakable than you.” He offered rather than responding to the volatile statement.

“Well they should get tougher.” Wufei snorted as he pulled out of Heero’s arms and turned with a faint bow to Trowa. “I don’t have time to baby the other recruits when most of them saw just as much of the war as I did.” He complained as he opened the door.

Heero’s fond smile at his partner’s attempt to make things a little more normal was lost on Wufei who didn’t turn around again. “No breaking them, Wufei.” He admonished again, a chuckle on his lips as Wufei waved a dismissive hand backwards and left.

If Wufei was imagining the looks that followed him around the Preventer’s office as he came into work it was the first time he had found himself truly paranoid since Treize died.

He told himself that it was most likely because he had arrived there without Heero at his side and that his temper was often tempered by his partner’s presence. He thought it as a mantra to himself that they were just being rightfully wary of his mood and that they had no idea what was going on in the background.

Once he was to his cubicle the morning was thankfully quiet and Wufei took the opportunity to fixate all of his attention on the mission reports he regularly put on the back burner. Each time he felt his mind straying to thoughts of what those two could be doing at home or whether any of the preventers had any clue of what as going on he ruthlessly refocussed on the words in front of him.

Too often he found his eyes not seeing the words at all. Within a few hours he was starting to get a mild headache from the way he was clenching his jaw up every time he noticed his discipline falter. He was rubbing at his temples with an exasperated sigh as their field medic intruded into his space.

“Hey Wufei, I heard you were flying solo for today. Lunch?” Sally asked, leaning against the door frame with a calming smile that Wufei did not feel at all calmed by.

“Too much work to do to pick up the slack Yuy’s left. I don’t have time for lunch today.” He responded, barely looking up from his computer to give Sally a cursory nod.

Sally raised an eyebrow and came in just far enough to grab the back of Wufei’s chair and pull him back towards her. “Alright, no, you are not skipping lunch. It’s not healthy and as your doctor I’m not letting you skip lunch.” She gave him a firm look which didn’t feel like it had quite the intended gravity to it despite Wufei having to crane his neck up from sitting.

“Field medic, Po. I’m not in the field and I’m not about to make myself sick by not having lunch once. Go bother someone else.” He dismissed the offer.

Sally took in a deep breath and Wufei felt his jaw clenching again. He knew in that one slight sigh of sound that she wasn’t going away any time soon. And damn her for not being as intimidated by him as the majority of the other preventers.

“Wufei, I heard from the commander why Heero’s planning to be off for the next little while and I wanted to go somewhere private and have a little chat about what’s going on here.” Her voice friendly but strained, more-so than usual when baiting his temper.

There was a slight pain as he ground his teeth too hard, his stomach souring at the words. “Well, whilst I don’t see what right Une has to go discussing anyone else’s personal matters, I don’t have much to _chat_ about. Especially not with Yuy’s arrangements. They have absolutely nothing to do with me.” He shot back, voice tight.

Sally rolled her eyes at this, a soft sigh that seemed to be begging for the patience to put up with his tantrums though it had been a long time since Wufei had let his emotions overcome his logic. Wufei felt a vein pulse in his forehead in annoyance at being treated as though he were a traumatised teenager all over again.

“You seem a little more upset than you should be to say that I was just going to ask if it’s true.” She raised an eyebrow, stepping backwards from the chair.

Wufei turned in his chair to face Sally, attempting for his own carefully neutral face and knowing that every muscle in his face was still tense and it wasn’t likely to be the most convincing thing in the world. “If you’ve not been invited then it’s none of your business. I don’t know how much Yuy wants anyone to know if he’s only spoken with Une about it and I’m not about to go discussing his affairs with all and sundry. Not even you Sally. I’m sorry, but this is his business not mine.” His voice steadily lost some of the fire in it as he continued on, finally sounding convincingly neutral by the end even as his chest slowly hollowed itself out with every word.

It was still a difficult thing to talk about. Even remembering Heero in his arms this morning. Worse to think that he seemed to have actually told Une about the wedding. Obviously not the fraudulence of it, but he must have done so convincingly enough that their commander had no reservations at allowing it to go ahead.

Unless Sally _was_ her attempt to get more information about how legitimate this marriage was. Wufei honestly didn’t know if he wanted to keep lying knowing that this entire plan went against everything he stood for as an agent working against inter-nation terrorism. Whilst he’d agreed to go along with things he’d never agreed to actively lie to people he worked with and respected in order to help them in this. It was the perfect opportunity to let his misgivings show and make an attempt to force Trowa’s hand into achieving citizenship lawfully.

“And there I thought you two had a thing going on. Always so close, moving in together. The whole nine yards.” Sally prodded gently as if sensing that she might have an opening to exploit here.

Wufei’s fist clenched at his side, all of his stray thoughts battling for dominance until he almost wasn’t certain what he would end up saying. “Well obviously not.” He bit out. He’d allowed this to happen for so long that he was an accomplice now. There was no point in trying to take the high ground now when he’d already watched so much of this happen.

“Perhaps we were close. We all are. We went through a lot in the wars, Sally. And” he sighed deeply, voice catching on his own words “you should see them together. He makes him so happy, got him to open up a lot more than he ever did around me. They make a perfect couple really.” He knew it was the best bit of acting that he’d done in his life. Partly because the pain of seeing how well they fit together was a real, cold essence constantly burning at the back of his chest lately.

“I… Well...” For once the woman was speechless and Wufei would have been smug about it if he didn’t feel so awful between both the lie and the truth in his words.

“I’ve got work to do. If that was all you wanted Po.” He bit dismissively, though he couldn’t summon the usual edge into his words.

As soon as she was gone Wufei spent some time making sure he gave out the most antagonistic feel that he could to discourage anyone else from interrupting him for the rest of the day. He was surprised when the rest of the day went past relatively quickly. He hadn’t thought much of the two men back at his home at all. But then, he also couldn’t remember what he had actually been thinking of or whether he’d got any significant amount of work done.

As he was leaving he was damn certain of the looks that he was getting from people as he walked past and it wasn’t making his sour mood any better. He was certain a lot of them looked like pity and it made him want to swing at every one of those condescending looks. Not to mention hunt Sally down to shake some answers out of her about exactly what she had said about their conversation and to who.

The slamming door as Wufei came back home didn’t seem to phase the two ex-pilots inside at all. Partially because there’d been the obvious sound of keys in the lock that did a lot to negate the concern that it could be an intruder.

“Welcome back home.” Heero called out automatically, wondering what the anger was going to be about this time. Hopefully he hadn’t been partnered up with someone else in his absence given that it was only going to be for a week.

“Sally sticking her nose in where it doesn’t belong is going to be the death of that woman some day.” Wufei growled as he entered the living room, not bothering with the traditional small talk. When Heero wasn’t in there he wandered through the room and into the kitchen.

The scene there was sickeningly domestic.

Heero was setting out the table, obviously having only started when he heard the door go. Trowa was at the cooker stirring at something with a heavy tomato base that made Wufei’s stomach growl. It was a surprisingly loud rumble that made Wufei wince a little at the embarrassment and the pang that came with leaving your stomach neglected for a whole day.

Trowa turned with a wry smile that caught Wufei off kilter for just a second and the feeling of being an outsider that had been creeping its way up his shoulders fell away as though the smile itself was a physical force.

“Sounds like we’re just in time. You hungry?” Trowa asked, lifting the spoon that he’d been stirring with.

Wufei felt the embarrassment flaring in him again, the urge to lash out to defend himself from the shame immediately settling on him. Instead he took a second to gather himself in which Trowa continued to stand looking like a polite, if strange, statue. “Thank you. I didn’t get the chance to get lunch today.” He managed instead.

It took a lot to remind himself at this moment that he wasn’t still a hormonal teenager watching more of the people he loved get wrenched out of his grasp. Especially given that the threat in front of him now felt a lot more plausible than any amount of suits or dolls did during the war.

He saw Heero’s frown and sensed an argument growing about him taking care of himself. “I know I should have eaten but there was a lot of work without you there. I usually leave filling out forms in triplicate to you and it was a damned annoying day. I’ll make sure I eat tomorrow.” He promised, stepping forward and pressing a hand to Heero’s chest gently.

Heero let out a slow sigh but eventually nodded, placing his hand on top of Wufei’s and breathing deeply as they stood there together. A faint smile came to his lips and after a few seconds of the display Wufei couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable that this was all happening in front of Trowa.

He cleared his throat and pulled away pointedly, punching Heero in the chest lightly as he did so. “Alright, we’ve got guests.” He complained, hoping that any slight flush on his skin wasn’t noticeable.

Trowa looked fairly amused by it all when Wufei finally turned to the other and started plating up the food with a low chuckle that made the back of Wufei’s neck heat up.

There was a hint of annoyance simmering in the pit of his stomach that Trowa could make fun of him when it was the other who was trying to play house with his damn boyfriend. He let it sit there quietly, instead focussing on being polite as they sat down to eat.

“Well it’s definitely better than what Yuy cooks.” Wufei smirked after his first taste. The momentary flash of hurt shadowing Heero’s eyes bringing Wufei to an awareness that he had fallen back into his old war habits.

“I’m sorry Heero but it’s true. You can’t season worth a damn, all you care about is how well balanced it is.” He added, carefully reaching out to place a hand on the other’s knee and squeeze gently. It was an apology without the actual words but the closest that Heero was likely to get from him whilst he was still feeling so raw about the whole arrangement.

It brought up a small, tentative smile that actually made Wufei feel like a little bit of an asshole for the way that he’d been acting. Almost.

“I know but you’re just a food snob.” Heero countered fondly. Wufei and Trowa snorted at almost the same time and Wufei levelled a glare in Trowa’s direction.

“You had better not be agreeing with him, Barton. I lived on the same rations as everyone during the war. It can’t be helped that part of my studies before I was a pilot involved actually knowing how to cook.” He raised an eyebrow indignantly.

Trowa only smiled faintly and shook his head. “Not at all, it’s just a good thing that we don’t get interviewed with you in there with us. I don’t think we could ever hide that it’s you two who are the real couple.”

Wufei felt himself flush again and shook his head, feeling Heero tense up at his side as if expecting the words to cause an argument. “Well of course I wouldn’t be there. I don’t think it’s ever been the best man’s job to make sure that the couple-to-be can manage to get through an interview. If anything, from colloquial stories, it’s my job to get Heero incapacitated prior to any ceremony and leave him in a compromising situation.”

He managed to mostly push aside his discomfort with the conversation and felt Heero take his hand. He turned when the other pulled his arm up, a little alarmed to find Heero pulling his hand towards his lips and kissing the back of it. “Alright, alright. Not at the dinner table.” He snapped, pulling his hand back and looking down at his food with single minded determination when he heard a barely cut off chuckle from Trowa’s side of the table.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t think that you’d mind. Trowa and I have been looking up intimacy levels and that actually seemed like a fairly standard show of affection.” His words might have been just a little bit hurt and Wufei sighed, nudging his leg against Heero’s.

“It’s not the kiss. It’s when it’s in front of other people. Public displays of affection aren’t a comfortable thing for me.” He pointed out, though really it was a reminder of a thing that Heero really ought to already know.

Heero nodded slowly, looking over to Trowa and locking eyes with the other for a couple of moments. It was an odd feeling to see them communicating without words. It happened all the time in the field. He’d seen him do it with Duo a lot though that usually meant trouble. This felt different somehow. Left Wufei feeling a little cold inside.

He averted his eyes again quickly as the two of them finished whatever it is they were doing. He ate mechanically, the sourness in his stomach making the food thick on his tongue. Each mouthful was a distinctly concentrated effort to gulp down and he found it more difficult to look up for every second the quiet continued to permeate the room.

“Hey Wufei,” the sudden noise from Trowa almost made him flinch, not having expected it, but instead he finally looked up “I was thinking of going out and getting a motorbike so I can get around while I’m here. I know Heero doesn’t really have any clue about them so I was wondering if you’d go with me on the weekend. Suggest what dealers are decent and help me decide on something.” It was an obvious olive branch and more blunt than Trowa usually came up with.

He guessed that this had been Heero’s idea to stop Wufei feeling as left out in all of this but the idiot obviously hadn’t realised that it wasn’t Trowa that he wanted to spend more time with. “I don’t have anything else to do this weekend. May as well, assuming that you haven’t got weeding planning to get on with.” He pointed out archly.

Trowa shook his head, his own look one that told Wufei he was on the verge of an eye roll and holding it in. “We’re having a simple civil ceremony. There’s hardly a lot that needs arranging. As long as Duo and Quatre get here fine everything should be okay.” He shrugged nonchalantly.

Wufei froze for a moment, a slow realisation coming to him that hadn’t piqued whilst he was listening to the arrangements these last few months. He turned to Heero with fire in his eyes. “And… they do know that this is a sham marriage?” He prompted in a low voice, hand gripping around his fork so hard that the metal was beginning to bend.

“Well, not entirely. Quatre isn’t the most skilled at deception so we decided it would be safer if we left them thinking that they were attending a real wedding. And it looks less suspicious for us to have our closer friends in attendance than if it was just three of us.” He pointed out.

Wufei let out a breath that was half growl, wondering why he hadn’t thought of this earlier when they’d been planning the ceremony together. “Well.” For once words failed him and it was difficult to think about how official this was all beginning to sound. “Who else are you inviting then?”

“Well Catherine will be coming and I assume that the majority of the circus performers will be coming to the reception.” Heero pointed out as though it were matter of fact. Wufei almost had to bite his own tongue to hold in the sarcasm and vitriol that wanted to burst out of him.

“I invited a few of the preventors given that I don’t have any family and it seems the bast way to avoid any sort of suspicion to directly invite those who might be suspicious” Heero reasoned “and Relena had to decline due to previous commitments. She seemed a little annoyed that the notice was so short and insisted that we meet together at some point.” He rattled off, steaming through the words as though he could avoid Wufei’s reaction if he was just quick enough.

In a way it worked. Wufei was sat staring at his plate almost dumbstruck. There was every chance at this point that he’d invited Sally or Une. That would certainly explain the office whispers and the sideways glances.

He stood up quickly from the table, the scrape of the chair too loud and the sudden movement leaving Trowa reaching for a knife that wasn’t there.

“Well it does seem like it will be a well attended day. I’m certain everyone will find it a happy occasion. I’ll leave you both to planning for now. Trowa, just let me know when you’d like to go out on Saturday.” He bounded through the words woodenly, feeling as though they were rushing out of him without thought and any one of them might trip him up. But then he was moving out of the kitchen, hearing Heero’s voice ask him if he was okay as though it were already far away.

He heard urgent voices muttering in the kitchen as he went upstairs to the bedroom to read but wasn’t too concerned. Heero always gave him his space and Trowa was unlikely to be the one who dared to hunt him down in his own room to have this debate.

It just proved how well Trowa inserted himself into any situation though. Even those who’d seen Heero and him together over the last couple of years were barely suspicious about their suddenly announced nuptials. Or maybe it was some comment on how much more likely a pairing they were.

Downstairs Heero was tentatively reaching out a hand to touch Trowa on the arm, careful of tone and closeness and position. “Trust me, he needs time to himself. He works through things with a level head better if we’re not there to argue with him. Otherwise he’s not the hot head he used to be.” His lips set in a thin line. He didn’t used to be before this at least.

Heero knew that Wufei was getting some of is old habits back and he didn’t know if it was having another of the pilots around or if they were just beginning to come apart at the seams and it was pushing Wufei back into his old patterns. He could only hope that he’d relax when he and Trowa had spent a little more time together.

Hopefully it would help him to solidify in his head that this was a favour for a friend and not something that should be driving a wedge between the two of them. Hopefully.

“You didn’t hear a word of that, did you?” Trowa’s amused voice made Heero blink and his eyes refocused to find Trowa’s face right in front of his own.

“I… No I suppose not.” He admitted, attempting for contrite even though his thoughts were more important than wedding discussions at the moment.

“I said I trust you. I just hope that he calms down before too long. He seems fairly on edge. More than I would have thought just from bending a few laws.” Trowa prompted, words vague but voice pressing for an answer.

Heero could only sigh in response for a moment. “I know. It feels that way to me too. But I don’t think it’s likely to be jealousy. Wufei knows more than anyone that I couldn’t feel like this about anyone but him.” He wasn’t naturally inclined to fidgeting but something about the situation left Heero wishing that he had a gun to dismantle or reports to write.

Trowa’s hand suddenly took his own, the warmth different from Wufei’s but calming in their calloused strength regardless. “Yeah, I know” if the smile he got in return was a little sad it could quite easily be because of guilt for any stress he was placing between the two “and I know he knows it too. It must just be hard giving up so much of your time together so that you can plan a wedding with me.”

Heero shrugged but didn’t let go of Trowa’s hand, instead moving to lace their fingers together. “Perhaps. We don’t spend that much time on anything anyway. Most of the time we each do our own thing. Have our own interests.” Heero let out a sigh that was more emotion than he let most people see.

“He doesn’t like to be affectionate. It makes it difficult when we talk about how fiancés are supposed to act because it’s not how we’ve ever been together. Wufei doesn’t show any of the traditional markers of actually wanting to be a long term couple. It’s more like it’s something he wants to hide and not think about.”

He wasn’t certain where the floodgates had come from or how they’d suddenly come so wide open but Trowa’s hand was on his back rubbing in small circles and he leaned into his shoulder slowly until Trowa’s arms came around him in a fairly loose hug.

“I wouldn’t think of it that way Heero. What we’re doing right now is more of an infiltration mission. We’re acting how they expect young adults in love to act. But they would also expect us to just barely be graduating university, perhaps even sleeping with anything that moves. Bouncing around between jobs. We shouldn’t really know how to cook for ourselves or do our own laundry.” He pointed out archly, hand very carefully and steadily rubbing circles in the other’s back.

“Wufei doesn’t treat you like that because he’s treating you honestly… He’s being natural with you even if that wouldn’t cause most people to immediately think of you as a couple.” He continued, noting the way that Heero started to relax against him. “If you want more affection then you probably should tell him that rather than waiting for it to happen. I don’t think it’s something he’d think about naturally.”

Heero finally pulled back out of the hug and nodded solemnly. “Perhaps you’re right. But what if altering the parameters of our relationship isn’t something he wants? I don’t think that I could feel this way about someone else.”

Trowa had to admit to himself that there was something endearing about the honesty of Heero’s plain emotions now that they were starting to crawl out of the box they’d been buried in during his training.

“Wufei cares for you. He’ll be willing to make a compromise that makes you both happy if you want to be closer to him.” He reached up to cup Heero’s cheek, hesitated for half a second and decided that he could justify it as more practice for their role. If Heero’s smile softened a little he supposed it was probably because he could agree that Wufei’s love would stretch to a little compromise.

When Heero nodded and grunted in agreement Trowa finally let his hand drop, surprisingly pleased when there was the slight flinch of Heero’s head attempting to follow the warmth before he righted himself.

“I think he’s had enough time. You’re right, we should talk.” Heero said after a moment, getting up and realising belatedly that there were dishes to wash.

Trowa cocked his head firmly towards the door as Heero started to reach for them. “Talk to him. One of you can cook tomorrow.” He ordered firmly, noting Heero’s smile of thanks as he gathered things up.

Motorcycle shopping over the weekend didn’t entirely go as Heero had initially planned. Wufei kept his word and took Trowa around several decent show rooms and second hand shops but spent most of the time on monosyllabic responses as far as possible. Each response seemed to be tinged with anger and his ire only seemed to grow with every new shop where Trowa looked over and promptly dismissed each bike.

By the fifth shop there was a tension radiating from the ex-Shenlong pilot’s shoulders that was nothing to do with spending his Saturday looking at bikes. As they walked off the lot onto the street Trowa took the opportunity to slow his steps and pointedly look at Wufei until the other’s attention finally properly shifted over to him.

“Wufei I know you’re not happy about having to show me around but there’s obviously something more going on here than just that. What’s wrong?”

Wufei shook his head and picked up his pace a little. “You know I’m not happy with any of this Barton. Let’s just find you a damn bike and get this over with.”

“I know that but this is more than that. I’m not an idiot.” Trowa sped up to keep pace and reached out to grab at Wufei’s shoulder, only mildly surprised when the touch caused Wufei to freeze and round on him in the middle of the street.

“It’s about you telling Heero that our relationship isn’t good enough without hand holding and walks on the beach. We were just fine before you came along.” He bit out, the rawness obviously still on the surface from the conversation Heero had with him days before.

“I haven’t told him anything, Wufei. It’s the situation. It’s made him think about it more. Shown him something he wants. But he wants it from you, not from me.” Trowa countered softly, maybe even a little sadly.

“You’re damned right it’s me Trowa.” The words were almost growled “I’ve been the one here for him and our relationship was just fine before you came and started prying into his old pain and telling him every couple needs to be kissing in public and yelling it to everyone.”

Trowa’s frown was a lot calmer than he felt inside as he slid his hands into his pockets to avoid looking aggressive. “Maybe I did but he wants you to ask these questions. He wants you to want him to open up for you. He wants to know you care about what the answer might be. And he thinks you don’t because every time he’s asked about you you’ve shut him down.”

“I never-”

“You might not realise it but you do.” Trowa cut in, not willing to let Wufei dismiss it. “He doesn’t know your background. That makes him feel like it’s not okay to talk about his. He loves you like nothing else, Wufei and you never even thought to ask him what he wanted. I didn’t tell him anything but I sometimes think that maybe I should have.”

Wufei’s eyes narrowed at this and Trowa only got louder as he saw him taking in a breath to argue. “He puts you on a pedestal for all you’ve supposedly done for him. You’d think you were a damn saint and I wonder if you didn’t walk him through his trauma just to keep him quieter at night so he won’t wake you up with the screaming.”

A fist connected with Trowa’s jaw so fast even his acrobat’s reflexes couldn’t help him dodge the swing.

Once the white light behind his eyes settled Wufei came into focus again and Trowa smiled like a predator as he reached up to touch at his jaw, seeing if it needed clicking back into place. There was something satisfying about getting a rise out of the other.

“I don’t need to justify myself to you. Make your own damn way home.” Wufei snapped, cracking his knuckles and walking off back towards the car.

When Trowa finally got home with a barely functional second hand bike and a new set of tools he was a little surprised to find that Heero wasn’t there waiting for him with a shuttle ticket back to L4 where the circus was currently stationed.

Instead he was sat in the living room wrapped up in Wufei, the both of them talking in hushed voices. They both looked up as he entered, Wufei’s eyes calculating as he slowly stood and placed a hand pointedly onto Heero’s shoulder. “I’m not going to apologise Barton but it won’t happen again.” He muttered before making his way upstairs.

Heero watched Wufei upstairs in silence, mouth in a tightly drawn line. When the door to their room closed he let out a breath that he’d been holding too long.

“I wish you hadn’t done that but thank you all the same. It at least got him to take things on board. I don’t think I explained it very well when we first talked and he seemed to understand how I really meant things this time around.” He admitted, looking Trowa dead on despite being a little uncomfortable.

There was a slight change in Trowa’s eyes that looked almost wry though his expression didn’t change at all. “I’m sorry. Something about it got to me but it wasn’t really my business to get involved. I’m already a little too involved with your relationship as it is.”

Heero snorted a dry laugh and Trowa felt a little of the tension he hadn’t known he was carrying ebb away as he settled himself down next to the other.

“I got a really crappy bike, you know. I was hoping I’d be here long enough to fix it up when I bought it.” The admission was surprisingly easy after all the hard truths they’d been discussing over the last few months. Trowa hadn’t thought it would be as simple in person as it was on a monitor that was surprisingly reminiscent of a Gundam’s vid screen.

Heero put an arm over Trowa and brought him in close with a nod. “Wufei… I think maybe he’s less worried about us now that he knows. Though I don’t know why he ever was to begin with. I know dealing with my recovery is more trouble than it’s worth and I only ever seem to be asking more of him.” His voice was flat and matter-of-fact but the old wartime detachment sent a shiver of something uncomfortable up Trowa’s spine.

“You’re a good couple and you deserve any happiness you can get after what we did. And all the pain that comes your way too. We all do.” He said honestly with a nonchalant shrug.

He wasn’t sure if the response was a smile or a grimace but Heero nodded regardless. “Maybe so. He dealt with the transition so much better than I did though and I can feel how it holds him back sometimes.”

“Wufei had something else before he was a child soldier. Some of us didn’t. He’ll be patient because he understands that.” Trowa reassured in words he wasn’t 100% sure of after hearing Wufei’s outburst.

“Yeah, I just hope our marriage doesn’t get in the way of our relationship too much.” Trowa just shook his head and got up to go to the kitchen. He could do with a beer and there was an old colony movie on that he intended to subject Heero to. He could stand to have his horizons broadened a little.

When Trowa next went to his bike he found Wufei ghosting behind him, trailing him into the garage. He could feel his shoulders tensing, gait changing into more of a soldier’s walk as he wondered if this was going to be round two.

The footsteps picked up pace until Wufei was walking alongside him and the smile he caught on the other’s face was a little more genuine at least. “You finally look like you’re not running an undercover operation on us.” He pointed out surprisingly casually.

“Our last exchange didn’t end well. I’ve been helping Heero to play the character. Trying to get into it again when he’s been splitting himself between the two separate roles. We all remember how well he played a regular teenager at school during the wars.” Trowa pointed out dryly as he went in and picked up his tool box to take it over to the old bike.

“And he’s changed since the war. He handles his emotions a lot better than you think and he can fake a few meetings and a threadbare ceremony without you needing to snuggle up and pretend to be in love the entire time.” He glowered as he settled himself down at Trowa’s side. “You need a hand?”

Trowa looked up to Wufei with a slow, deliberating look. A moment or so passed before he slowly nodded. He did at least owe the other some sort of leeway for putting him through this with Heero. He could stand to make an attempt to play nice despite their little altercation.

“Thanks. I’d appreciate a hand.” He gestured vaguely to the toolbox as he opened it up. “It’s going to need stripping down before I know exactly how much work it needs so it’s not exactly exciting work right now. You can drain the oil if you want.” He suggested.

Wufei sniffed and raised an eyebrow but got to work anyway. He did get himself into this after all.

“You know...” he trailed off, grunting as he realised that he needed to get a pan for it. He got to his feet and went searching through his own things for something to use.

“What do I know?” Trowa asked, looking up from under his obscured eye to track Wufei’s movements as he continued working, his hands not slowing despite his split attention.

“Hm? Oh...” Wufei sighed and came back, starting to drain out the oil. “I get that you’re focussed on your persona here and getting what you want. But you could stand to think how it feels seeing you treat my… seeing you treat Heero like your lover right in front of me.”

Trowa sighed through his nose and shook his head, looking back at the bike. “You can’t even say it to me? Can you?” He accused in a soft voice that felt more dangerous than a threat.

“I’m trying to work with you because of Heero, don’t push it.” He ground out in return, hand gripping tight around the wrench in his hand.

Trowa was quiet for a few moments and Wufei was about to take it as assent and move onto the petrol tank when he reached out to stop him moving.

“I know what you are, you can say it to me. And in your home. If for whatever reason you don’t want to shout it from the rooftops even though I reckon it makes Heero feel like you’re ashamed of it then you could at least be willing to use the words with people who know.”

Wufei pulled his arm away from Trowa’s grasp and shook his head. “It’s not simple just because you think it should be. I’m honest with him and that’s enough. I don’t need to talk about incessantly to anyone. He knows from the way I treat him. I’ve said I’ll try to do more but none of this was an issue until you told him there was something wrong with how we are with each other.” He glared at his work dripping down into the now half-full pan.

“He didn’t think to want anything like that until we were discussing what would be needed. Now he knows that’s something that he wants and he wants it from you more than anyone. Just like you said. If you’re not willing to let things change just because you were settling into a happy rut before he grew a little more out of everything he… a little more into himself...” He spotted Wufei’s white knuckles from where he was sat unmoving in front of the bike and finally relented.

“He wants to get the things that he needs from you. Does it really feel so difficult to change the balance now? I know you must have worked a lot to rebalance things as he’s worked through his therapy. Although from the way that you’ve reacted to this it feels a little bit like there is something difficult about it for you.” He pointed out.

Wufei stood up with a deep breath in and went around to the other side of the bike to find something to do.

“Not that it’s any of your business but yes, kissing and hugging and public displays of affection are a problem for me. My upbringing didn’t encourage it and it’s still uncomfortable. Heero tended to understand that until you started touching him all the time.” He muttered more to the bike than Trowa, determined not to meet eyes with the self righteous bastard.

“I don’t think you’ve ever been particularly tactile either until it suited your needs to beat a perfectly reasonable government system in order to get onto the Earth sphere just a little bit faster.” He pointed out, grabbing to bring the tool box around to himself.

Trowa nodded slowly at this as he worked calmly on his own side. “That’s true I suppose. Heero knows why I wanted this so urgently. I’ve opened up to him and you should do a bit more of that too. But maybe you’re right that when it comes to the two of us we don’t owe each other a lot of explanations for our behaviour.” He conceded.

Wufei wanted to argue the point a little more but abated and they worked on the bike in silence for a little while until Heero brought them in for dinner. There was something oddly domestic about the feel, if not for the bizarre nature of a man bringing his boyfriend and fiancé in for a sit down meal together.

It was six weeks until the wedding and Wufei slowly found himself becoming oddly sucked into domesticated life with Trowa there. Somehow he became a third shadow in the room whenever he and Heero spent nights together quietly. Somehow he ended up with half of the household chores and a lot more of the cooking.

Slowly, insidiously, Trowa was already becoming a part of their lives and Heero seemed to find it all too easy. It left Wufei by turns docile and on edge. He was constantly shuffling closer to Heero when he sensed Trowa nearby. He always felt the need to match the extra little touches that Trowa gave Heero rather than let him be the more affectionate one when their relationship was a fake.

Sometimes when Wufei wasn’t thinking about anything in particular he came back to himself realising that he was looking at the two of them cuddled up with barely a pang of jealousy. Other times it was like a fire ripping through his chest that it was somehow so easy for them to act the part together.

So naturally when the day of the sham wedding did come around Wufei was all raw nerve endings and snapping retorts.

He was in the anteroom at the civic hall helping Heero to fix the formal kimono that he’d insisted on with a string of curses. Heero was a little on edge too and he knew his own lack of calm wasn’t helping the situation. The only one who seemed unconcerned by the whole thing was Trowa. And maybe Duo, but that idiot was busy running interference for all of the other guests, thank goodness.

“A few minutes, a simple piece of paper and you can go back to things as normal. Just a few minutes of decent acting.” Wufei’s voice was a little strained and he wasn’t entirely certain if he was trying to be reassuring for Heero or himself.

He looked up when Heero rested a hand on top of his, finding the other’s smile a little bit more serene than he had honestly expected at this point. “I know. And you look great, in case I didn’t say.” He complimented, leaning in and stealing a quick kiss from his best man.

Wufei quickly pulled back and looked around as if scandalised.

“No one’s coming in here. Since I’m apparently the bride here.” Heero noted wryly. He hadn’t really known why they had to do a walk down the aisle at all but traditional was traditional…. With L1 and L3 clothing, a full circus troupe and a bridal party from all across the colonies taking place on Earth. Perfectly traditional wedding.

“Well I get you to myself after tonight so you can keep up the show at least until… until you’re married.” He managed after a moment, biting on his lip. The closer things got the more he hated those words. The more he wished that he could be the one waiting for Heero in the other room. The more he wished he could be okay with the idea of getting married. The more he wished he could tell Heero exactly why this was such a big thing for him.

And then time was up, and all his wishes piled up behind him like a looming tower with no time to change how this was going or make it right. It was too late now.

“You ready?” He asked instead.

Heero didn’t miss the tinge of sadness in his voice as he nodded and took Wufei’s arm. “Yeah. Just a few minutes and we go back to us.” He repeated.

As he was coming through the small array of chairs, that was thankfully nothing like a real aisle, Heero could have sworn he heard a low whistle from where Duo was ahead and tried not to smile too much as he wondered which of them it was for.

He hadn’t been to Earth in a while and Heero really didn’t know if Duo had seen Wufei in anything other than his customary mourning whites in anything other than pictures. He really was amazing to see in celebratory reds and golds.

When they finally got down to the bottom Wufei had another pang of regret as he took a moment to actually back away from the couple and sit down. He almost cursed again when there was a hand on his knee and Duo looking over at him encouragingly. It made him damn suspicious about whether Heero really had kept the truth from him.

The ceremony itself, though blessedly short, grew more and more painful every moment. The vows were a bastard mix of cultures to suit both of their backgrounds but were full of things that Wufei wished he had the heart to declare in public. It made his stomach rot and twist and it wasn’t long before he was desperately squeezing at the hand that Duo offered. He hated weddings.

It all came to a terrible head when they were finally announced husbands. He thought that he felt time itself stop when the officiate introduced their first kiss. The world lurched around him as he watched the two lean into each other, unable to look away as Trowa’s hand came up to partially obscure their faces, hiding what looked like a horrifyingly tender kiss from view. He wasn’t even aware that he was about to surge to his feet until he heard low, urgent words from Quatre and Duo was tugging his arm forcefully down towards him.

He stayed stock still as the two of them left, only getting up when Quatre’s kind, pitying gaze came into view and he encouraged him up to follow. He allowed himself to be moved around for some photos and slowly came back to himself as the rigmarole of a wedding continued around him. He thought he even caught Trowa looking worriedly in his direction a few times.

He managed to get back to himself for long enough to give a brief, if at least honest, speech as the best man about how they had met and what a good match they had been for each other. The words out of his own mouth felt a betrayal of their relationship and he sat down again almost as soon as his toast was done, downing his entire glass of sparkling wine. He was a little surprised when another appeared in his hand with a wink from Duo before Cathy’s heartfelt speech. He had to wonder if she, at least, knew about the lie or if she was taken in by it all too.

When it looked like Duo was about to join in on the speeches Heero quickly cut the other off, claiming that things were getting boring enough for such a small wedding. Things seemed to ease when Trowa cracked a joke about them nearing the point where half the guests were offering up their own words and deflected it into a request to write something in the guest book that Wufei hadn’t had a clue about.

Through the course of the night Wufei found that drink after drink managed to make its way into his hand through one method or another. More often than not guests encouraging rounds to be bought. A few times even for himself. He needed a stiff drink after watching the first dance at the very least.

Watching the way that Heero and Trowa fit together as they swayed through some awful folk song left a hollow in his chest that made him feel as if he was barely in his own body any more. The burn of the alcohol dripped down his throat and settled in his stomach but somehow didn’t quite touch the cold hollow inside of him.

Around the time that the music got a little louder he was at least beginning to feel a slightly more pleasant buzz about things. The edges of the world moved in a soft halo and it seemed to take the edge off of what he was feeling. Things felt just a little bit less real.

It was Quatre that tried to take the responsible role and at least make sure that he got to bed safely at the end of the night since the ‘bridal party’ had rooms reserved. Wufei declined the offer. Fairly firmly. With perhaps harsher words than he would have used without the mix of beer and sparkling wine fuelling him.

He had already seen Trowa and Heero leaving and followed them up to the room, intending to at the very least make sure that this sham didn’t get consummated.

Trowa calmly invited him into the room when he caught up with them, closing and locking the door before moving around the room to secure the windows and the bathroom. Wufei would be a little surprised to see the paranoid soldier in effect if that weren’t the last thing on his mind at the moment.

“I’m staying in here tonight. I had to sit and watch you kiss my damn boyfriend and I’m sure as hell not being kept out of the room so you can do what you want with him.” Wufei glowered over to where Trowa was calmly closing the curtains. Smug bastard.

“Wufei, it was part of the ceremony. It couldn’t be avoided but I’d never do anything like that to you.” Heero came forward to grab Wufei’s hand, soft despite the frustration in his voice.

“Wouldn’t do anything? You already kissed another man, in the middle of a room full of people who could see it happening.” He argued.

“Then you kiss Trowa, then we’re even.” Heero shot back in exasperation.

“What and you’d be happy if I did? You think it would be so easy to just watch?”

“Look I don’t think-” Trowa started but then Wufei’s lips were on him, fierce and sloppy and burning with a mix of his emotion and the alcohol.

It was a lot more than the simple, chaste kiss he’d shared with his new husband.

When Wufei turned to challenge Heero, however, he found his boyfriend’s eyes a little glassy, lips parted as he took in the scene in front of him. The colour on his cheeks definitely wasn’t anger as he licked at his lips, eyes still locked on the two of them.

“Yuy, Heero!” Wufei hissed “Did you actually enjoy that?”

In an improbable answer Heero grabbed his boyfriend and pulled him against him forcefully, the kind of kiss they had barely shared in private their first few times that had been fuelled by long repressed teenage lust and the thrill of having lived.

When the ex-wing pilot’s lips moved to Wufei’s throat a moan choked its way up his throat the caught abruptly as he felt something shift against his leg, the poke of Heero’s obviously awakening arousal.

He pressed a hand against Heero’s chest, feeling his face flame as he let the moan rush out of his throat without holding anything back. The shudder that rippled through his partner was more than worth the embarrassment of having let himself get carried away.

Teeth latched onto his clavicle and Wufei jolted, a whine leaving his lips that was far more vulnerable than he ever meant to be but only made Heero nip harder at his flesh.

Wufei pulled Heero off him and gave him the same forceful if messy kiss that he’d forced on Trowa moments before, even his alcohol addled brain refusing to let the other take too much advantage of him.

The sound of footsteps moving towards the bathroom brought the two of them apart again, remembering the other stuck in the room with them. Both heads turned at almost the same time, two sets of eyes finding Trowa and locking him in place with hazy gazes.

It was Wufei’s eyes that flickered downwards first, catching sight of the evidence that he hadn’t been entirely uncomfortable in the room with them. There was a low hum of approval and Heero turned in confusion before following Wufei’s gaze to where it had settled. The bob of his Adams apple as he gulped caused a twitch that had Wufei’s eyes darkening further.

“Aren’t you supposed to spend your wedding night together?” He pointed out.

Heero’s shock seemed to last longer Trowa’s as the taller man shook his head. “You’re drunk Wufei, you need to sleep it off.” The scolding was a little unwieldy around Trowa’s suddenly thick tongue and Heero finally nodded his head firmly.

“Wufei I’ve always been honest with you. I could never love someone more than I love you. I’m not going to sleep with him. I don’t want to hurt you.”  


“But you want to. You would if I wasn’t here. If it wouldn’t hurt me.”

“But you are, and it would.” Heero’s voice might have been sad for just a moment, eyes flickering to Trowa for a brief second.

“I’m not as drunk as you think and I know what I’m asking. I want to know. I want to see how much you could love each other. How much I might be able to… care for… to love... you both.” He murmured, mortified that it took so much fuzz around his thoughts just to get him to say the word.

“I know I’m not part of this. It’s the alcohol talking and you’d regret anything in the morning.” Trowa sighed deeply, almost wishing that he wasn’t the sober one in the equation. Heero was looking at him like he might be persuaded into this.

Whilst he was focussed on Heero Wufei was up on his feet and to Trowa in quick steps that actually didn’t look so affected by alcohol at all.

“If this is a mistake then we’d need to make it to know for sure.” He whispered against Trowa’s skin, hot damp fire along his skin.

Trowa gulped again and a shiver passed right down his spine. He felt it continuing to tremble at the base of his spine when Wufei’s hands slipped under his jacket and eased it off his shoulders. He looked over to Heero to plead for help and instead found the other watching almost with anticipation as his boyfriend began stripping his husband.

The reaction he felt obviously wasn’t missed as he felt Wufei’s leg slide between his and rub in a way that made his entire body flush too warm for the clothes he was still in. He saw Heero lick at his lips as he watched them both. With a fleeting sense of guilt he finally let himself be led to the bed and slowly stripped bare and explored by the two boyfriends.

He knew that in the morning there would be a lot to discuss. And probably headaches. But the quiver he felt in his belly as he lay nude in bed with Wufei and Heero cuddled up to his side was perhaps more anticipation than it was fear.

There was a lot that would need working out but maybe there was a chance that it wasn’t as impossible as it sounded. None of them went for normal, after all.


End file.
